Adam LaRoche is a historically slow starter with a career .215 average in the month of April, far and away his lowest monthly average in statistical splits. But in 2013 he has been even worse than usual, sitting at a .143 clip on April 29 with 25 strikeouts in 21 games.

And after going 0-for-4 in Sunday’s loss to the Reds, LaRoche is now on a 26 at-bat hitless streak with 13 strikeouts to boot. Slow starter or not, things are getting out of hand.

The ten-year veteran is used to having trouble out of the gate, he usually comes out of it at some point and finds his stroke. This run of misfortune, however, has him really searching.

“I don't know. I don't know what to tell you,” he said. “I've got one of two options here. I either keep my head up, keep swinging or pack up and go home. I'm not ready to go home yet.”

When LaRoche does make contact it seems to either go foul or right into an opponent’s glove. He said he is hitting too defensively because he keeps finding himself behind in counts. On Sunday he was behind 0-2 in three of his four at-bats and fell behind 1-2 the other.

“I feel like every at-bat right now I'm 1-2. Before the at-bat even starts I feel like I've got a strike or two on me,” he said.

“It's tough to hit like that. It's tough to hit in a defensive mode and I've never been successful hitting on the defensive side so I'm going to stay aggressive and expect it to turn.”